Have been traveling working with clients in Buffalo. Now sitting at the airport waiting for my delayed flight to arrive so we could take off. Trying to be productive I decided to write my blog from the US Airways Club. One of the benefits of my American Express Platinum Card. Its time like these when the membership fee takes on a whole new value. Sunday evening I caught the last twenty minutes of Celebrity Apprentice. The dissension and frustration among the men’s team intrigued me. The women’s team seemed to be functioning effectively although there was some tension between the project manager and Dionne Warwick. I missed the task being assigned but did see the guest executive talking to the teams. When they got to the boardroom, with Mr Trump and his sons and daughter there was no mention by members of the men’s team of the dissension or frustration of members. One member ….a Country Western singer performed a song he wrote and sang during the assignment. The project leader was sure his team had won and was confident in his leadership being a factor of their success. (Earlier his team members were quite vocal about his ineffectiveness.) On the other hand, the female team leader did not exhibit or express determined confidence her team had won. She spoke of how well they worked together and thought everyone was focused and gave their all. She was low key in her presentation. The client (executive) was wowed by the song and the team’s signage placements, and chose the men’s team as the winners, which meant someone had to be eliminated on the woman’s team. The team leader, in a low-key style took full responsibility for her team’s loss. She left no option but for Mr. Trump to “fire her”. He did acknowledge her integrity and unwillingness to blame a team member or two. She walked out holding her head high. I think even her team members were surprised.
Granted this is realty TV, but I do believe there are many people who are emulating or wanting to emulate Mr. Trump’s success and style of management. What lessons are they learning? For all the dissension in the men’s team before the boardroom they presented a united front. Men seem to be able to put differences aside when it comes to winning the game. The women on the other hand spoke more about how effectively they worked together. It was all about their relationships. They has a good experience but did not win. For anyone wanting to learn more about read gender differences read Deborah Tannen’s research. It captures the gender differences in our socialization and perhaps DNA from early childhood.